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Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter fatally shot 20-year-old Daunte Wright on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. Approximately one week later, she was arrested and charged for this, yet another senseless killing of a young, Black male.
Reports say Wright was pulled over by Potter, a 48-year-old, 26-year police veteran, for an outdated license plate sticker and a car deodorizer dangling from his rearview mirror. After being pulled over, Wright called his mom to let her know he had been pulled over. Upon discovering an outstanding warrant in his name, the officers then ran his registration and asked him to exit the vehicle.
An 18-Second Deadly Encounter
Upon exiting the car, Wright was asked to place his hands behind his back and told why he was being arrested.
Eighteen seconds later, he broke loose from the officer and reentered his vehicle. As Anthony Luckey, the officer being trained by Potter struggled to regain control, she shouted for him to use his taser.
Reportedly she thought she pulled a taser but grabbed her gun instead. She fired a single fatal shot into Wright’s chest. After shooting her weapon, Potter can be heard on her bodycam saying, “Sh–, I just shot him!”
Guilty As Charged?
Did Potter kill Wright in cold blood, or was it an accident? She is being held accountable for her actions; charged with second-degree murder brings a punishment of 10 years in jail and a $20,000 penalty. Ben Crump, the lawyer for the Wright family, said:
This was a purposeful, conscience, and illegal utilization of power. This was not an accident. Black motorists are continually becoming a target of death.
Potter resigned before being charged. Crump said, “Daunte lost his life at the hands of Kim Potter, over a misdemeanor warrant and a small traffic violation.”
Written by Sharri Rogers
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
TwinCities.com Pioneer Press: Ex-Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter arrested and charged in Daunte Wright’s death; by Mary Devine
CNBC: Former police officer Kim Potter arrested on manslaughter charge in fatal shooting of Daunte Wright; by Dan Mangan
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of edi fortini’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
